Chi Shuo used to frequent this bar last year, but since the turn of the year, she hadn’t come much. This was only her second visit this year.
Her routine was usually the same: sit on the stool in the far corner, order a whiskey, and then slowly sip her drink while listening to the surrounding noise. She didn’t find it disruptive; on the contrary, it was interesting and helped calm her mind considerably.
Chi Shuo didn’t drink to get drunk; she purely enjoyed drinking, just never very much at once.
Thinking back carefully, the only time she might have gotten drunk was the day she broke up with Shen Qu. She had felt truly devastated because the whole world knew Shen Qu was dating another guy, yet she, the unknown underground girlfriend, hadn’t heard a whisper, as if “underground” meant literally being locked in a basement, perpetually in a dark, damp corner, never seeing sunlight.
Damn it, why? The question suddenly popped into Chi Shuo’s mind.
The answer was obvious: because she really had liked Shen Qu too much back then, and Shen Qu was indeed too good at coaxing her.
“Xiao Chi, long time no see.” A somewhat magnetic male voice pulled Chi Shuo back from her thoughts.
Chi Shuo had already settled into her usual spot. The voice belonged to a busy bartender named Alex. He was of mixed Chinese-German heritage, and his Mandarin was exceptionally fluent and authentic.
Before Chi Shuo could respond, he flashed a bright smile, snapped his fingers, and asked her, “The usual?”
Chi Shuo curved her lips and nodded. “Thanks.” She then responded to Alex’s earlier remark, “Work’s been busy lately, haven’t had much time.”
Alex poured her drink while saying, “Then you definitely need to relax.” He had already poured her a glass of whiskey. “Have a great weekend. I’ll get back to work.”
Alex had sharp features and was tall. He was gentlemanly, charming, and humorous, always popular at the bar. He handled his work smoothly, never neglecting any customer.
“You too.” Chi Shuo raised her glass, smiled back at him, then tilted her head slightly and took a sip.
Just as she put the glass down, there was a slight movement beside her as someone sat down.
The first thing that caught Chi Shuo’s eye was a pair of slender, fair legs. The bar lighting wasn’t bright, but the light here at the bar was slightly warmer and brighter. It seemed to cling to He Lindi’s legs, making it obvious to anyone that the smoothness of her skin rivaled the finest silk.
They were sitting on high stools, knees bent, feet resting on the rungs.
Identical posture, remarkably similar outfits—one with hair down, one with a bun. From behind, they undoubtedly looked like they were wearing… best friend outfits.
Yes, best friend outfits. Only the closest friends would dress so similarly, wouldn’t they? It wasn’t impossible for strangers to wear the same clothes, but how could it be such a coincidence?
Chi Shuo rubbed her forehead, then turned her head slightly to look at the vibrant He Lindi beside her, speaking first, “I won’t delete you. You don’t need to check again.”
A glass of watermelon juice sat in front of He Lindi, the straw twisted into a fancy shape. She held the glass, her fingertips tapping the side, tap after tap. Hearing Chi Shuo, she raised an eyebrow at her. “I was afraid you’d regret it.”
Last night, Chi Shuo hadn’t given a definite answer, just a soft “Mm,” before getting out of the car.
“…” Chi Shuo didn’t say anything else, tilting her head back for another sip of her drink.
Beside her, He Lindi asked curiously, “Is it good?”
Chi Shuo looked at her again. “Never had it?”
He Lindi shook her head, the bun on her head wobbling with the movement. “No.” She paused. “I thought you knew I don’t really drink.”
Chi Shuo unconsciously held her breath, then naturally retorted, “Why would you think that?”
He Lindi put on a thinking expression. “Maybe… because even when we attended big events before, I never drank.”
Chi Shuo thought back, and it seemed true. Even the last time at KTV, He Lindi had stuck to Sprite.
Chi Shuo thought of another key question: “Why would I pay attention to that?”
He Lindi pressed her lips together without answering, taking a sip of her watermelon juice instead.
Chi Shuo also retracted her gaze. She pushed her glass forward slightly, rested her forehead on her hand, and leaned down onto the bar.
She wasn’t drunk, nor sleepy, merely doing this because it helped her relax better.
It felt like being back in school, making this gesture during breaks between classes to relieve stress.
She didn’t close her eyes, but her vision filled with darkness, occasionally pierced by flashes of light from the bar, which she caught.
He Lindi didn’t interact with her, but Chi Shuo clearly heard her voice mingling with that of a strange man.
“Miss, I like watermelon juice too. Add me on WeChat?”
“My family sells watermelons, very sweet.”
“No.” He Lindi’s voice held little warmth.
The man let out a sigh. “To be honest, I’m only here because I lost a bet with friends. If I don’t get your WeChat, I’ll face a penalty when I go back…”
Chi Shuo subtly tilted her head, watching the scene unfold beside her. He Lindi had already turned her back to her. The man’s voice belonged to the person sitting on the high stool next to her.
Chi Shuo’s lips curved upwards. Since He Lindi had her back turned, she stopped being sneaky and openly watched the drama while sipping her drink.
She wanted to know how He Lindi would respond. Would she soften and agree, or stand firm and refuse?
Chi Shuo was still guessing the answer when, the next second, He Lindi uttered four words: “None of my business.” Chi Shuo could feel her cold aura. “Did you get my permission to include me in your bet? Does your winning or losing have anything to do with me?”
Not just the man opposite, but Chi Shuo too was momentarily stunned. Then she saw the man’s expression shift from pitiful to angry. He stood up, sneered, “Fine, don’t give it then. I’ve seen plenty of your type. Really think you’re so popular I have to chase after you?”
Chi Shuo frowned, unable to resist speaking up, “Why haven’t you scrammed yet? Listening to that quacking voice makes me think a duck wandered into the bar.”
He Lindi turned her head and added, “It also sounds a bit like a eunuch’s voice in a TV show.”
Chi Shuo nodded. “Either way, it’s awful.”
“You…!” The man had slightly longer hair, his face already looking unwell, staring intently at the two women before him.
Chi Shuo met his gaze. “Still not leaving? Waiting to make a scene, are you?”
The moment she finished speaking, Alex rushed over from the other end of the bar. “Sir, please conduct yourself appropriately, or I’ll call security.”
His expression was grave and serious, clearly not joking, and obviously siding with Chi Shuo. The quacking man snorted and left.
After he left, Alex asked with concern, “Are you okay?” He said, “That guy’s been kicked out before. Lost track of him for a second, and he snuck back in.”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “It’s fine, he just disturbed my rest.” She smiled and added to Alex, “You can get back to work.”
Alex was indeed very busy. Because he was popular, some customers only wanted drinks he poured or mixed.
Alex replied, “Okay.” He looked at He Lindi again. “This young lady, is she friends with Xiao Chi?”
“Yes,” He Lindi replied, glancing at Chi Shuo after speaking.
Alex repeated his earlier words: “Have a great weekend.”
Their corner became quiet again. The bar was playing a nostalgic English slow song. This was purely a drinking place; no DJ was on stage hyping up the atmosphere.
Chi Shuo had already slumped down, but less than ten seconds later, her shoulder was tapped.
It was Zeng Guai. She asked with concern, “What just happened?”
“It’s nothing.” Chi Shuo didn’t lift her head; He Lindi answered the question.
He Lindi offered an apologetic smile. “It’s my fault.”
Chi Shuo twitched her ear, said nothing, and maintained her position.
Zeng Guai sighed, walked over to sit next to He Lindi, and whispered, “You just said you were worried about her. Seems like you’re the one we should worry about the most, right?”
He Lindi shook her head. “Definitely not.” She turned to glance at Chi Shuo. “I don’t drink. People who drink are the ones you can’t trust.”
Zeng Guai’s eyes widened. “Then why are you so trusting of me?”
He Lindi tilted her head and chuckled. “I’m not trusting you; I was worried I’d disturb your flirting.” She made a “bye-bye” gesture. “You should go. I saw you just now; you clearly exchanged QR codes with that guy.”
Zeng Guai smiled and actually left.
Chi Shuo didn’t drink much. Every time she came here, one glass of whiskey was enough, and today was no exception.
She rested there, slumped over, until her glass was empty. After an unknown amount of time, she checked the time and sent a message in the group chat saying it was time to go home.
She had arrived just after nine; it was now almost eleven. Chi Shuo hadn’t changed her position much. Her neck felt a bit sore. She messaged with one hand while rubbing her neck with the other.
He Lindi had gone somewhere; Chi Shuo didn’t pay attention, mainly because later… she had fallen asleep.
Thinking this, she turned her head and saw, three meters behind her, four people playing Landlord by the coffee table—no, wait, three people; Xia Zhou was watching.
Chi Shuo rubbed her eyes and walked over. “What’s the score?”
“Didi’s been winning nonstop,” Xia Zhou, the commentator, announced.
He Lindi made no effort to hide her smugness. Still holding cards, she waved a hand, signaling Chi Shuo to look. “My hand this round is too good!”
Chi Shuo didn’t refuse, indeed bending slightly, lowering her head to look at the cards in He Lindi’s hand.
The light was rather dim. To see clearly, Chi Shuo leaned closer, her attention focused on the cards. After scanning them, she smiled. “It’s alright.”
He Lindi turned her head, their proximity seemingly shrinking. She looked incredulous. “This is ‘alright’? It’s clearly amazing.”
A bit close. Chi Shuo only realized this upon seeing her face. Then, unhurriedly, Chi Shuo straightened up, changing the subject. “Getting ready to leave.”
“We’ll leave after this round,” Yue Ke said, clutching his cards, frowning. “I refuse to believe Sister Di will win this round too.”
Chi Shuo paused, amusement spilling from her eyes. “You call her… Sister Di?”
Zeng Guai pointed at Chi Shuo, laughing along. “Shuo Shuo! I get you!” She continued, “If I were a DJ, would you love me!”
He Lindi remained expressionless. “Zeng Guai, you’re done for this round.” She looked at Yue Ke again. “Why call me Sister Di for no reason? Don’t you usually just call me Sis? You liability.”
Yue Ke looked aggrieved. “Usually I also…”
He Lindi snapped at him, “Banned. From now on, only call me Sis or Cousin.”
Xia Zhou couldn’t watch anymore. “Teacher He, be nicer to my boyfriend. Or next time you come downstairs for coffee, I’ll charge you.”
He Lindi retorted, “It’s none of your business anyway.”
Chi Shuo standing aside: “…” She said, “Time to go.”
The midnight wind wasn’t as gentle as two hours ago. Chi Shuo felt the chill as soon as she stepped out of the bar.
But even though it was late, there were still quite a few people outside. Many barbecue places were nearby, now hitting their peak late-night beer rush.
Xia Zhou insanely suggested, “I’m hungry. How about grabbing some barbecue before heading back?”
“Not me,” Chi Shuo answered first. “I’m a bit cold and sleepy. Want to go home early, shower, and sleep.”
“You slept so long today, can you even sleep now?” Xia Zhou couldn’t help asking, knowing Chi Shuo had slept for nine hours.
Zeng Guai added, “Yeah, Shuo Shuo. I’m really worried if you keep sleeping like this, tomorrow you’ll be drained, confused, absentminded…”
Chi Shuo looked at her amusingly. “Don’t worry, I won’t be. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen asleep at the bar.”
He Lindi glanced at her. “Really tired?”
Chi Shuo hummed an “Mm,” then gave a small yawn. “I’ll head back first then. You guys be safe.”
Just then, someone arrived outside the bar, freeing up a taxi. Chi Shuo turned, walked over, pulled open the door, sat down, said “Goodbye” to the group, and left.
Xia Zhou clapped her hands. “Then let’s go eat soon too.” She looked at He Lindi, who was gazing in the direction the taxi had left. “Didi, let’s go.”
He Lindi retracted her gaze, nodded, and smiled. “Okay. Wonder if they still have eggplant; that’s a must-order for me.”
Half an hour later, Chi Shuo arrived home. Her body felt tired, and because the elevator was cold, goosebumps had risen on her legs. She only felt much better after getting inside her apartment.
That one glass of whiskey wasn’t much for her. Although she did feel a bit dizzy after drinking it, falling asleep had digested it all. Now she was wide awake.
Lights on, shoes off, wash hands.
Chi Shuo sat on the sofa, leaned forward to pour herself a glass of water, took several sips, then picked up her phone, looking hesitant.
She had muted her phone when she went out and hadn’t played with it much at the bar. She only took it out of her bag when she got into the taxi. There were three missed calls on it, all from her mother.
Chi Shuo smoothed her hair, looked at the time on her phone, approaching midnight, and finally decided not to call back right now.
Tomorrow. That way, she could suffer for a few hours less.
Before she could put the phone away, the ringtone sounded in the quiet living room. It was Zeng Guai calling. Chi Shuo breathed a sigh of relief and answered.
But the voice on the other end wasn’t Zeng Guai’s. Chi Shuo recognized He Lindi’s youthful voice, seemingly carrying a bit of the cool summer night air. “Chi Shuo, are you home yet?”
“Yes,” Chi Shuo replied, trying hard to make her voice sound tired.
Sure enough, He Lindi’s next sentence was, “You’re that sleepy?”
“Yes.” Chi Shuo felt she didn’t have much extra energy to deal with He Lindi anymore. She said, “I’m going to shower first.”
He Lindi hummed an “Mm.” The sound of clinking glasses and happy chatter came from her end, but Chi Shuo still clearly heard her soft “Goodnight.”
Chi Shuo didn’t respond. She hung up and tossed the phone aside.
She went into the bedroom, first taking off the pleated skirt she wore today and tossing it onto a chair. She didn’t immediately go wash up but sat on the edge of the bed, bare-legged, staring blankly at the pleated skirt draped over the chair.
Heaven knows how much turmoil she felt seeing He Lindi also wearing a pleated skirt tonight.
She was surprised, worried, terrified—none of the emotions were good.
Surprised that He Lindi also wore this tonight.
Worried that He Lindi guessed the reason she wore it.
Terrified of what He Lindi would think after knowing the reason.
After all, besides Han Yu, no one knew Chi Shuo liked wearing pleated skirts because He Lindi also liked them. It was just that in the following years, Chi Shuo never wore them in front of He Lindi.
If she had still preferred wearing the little black dress from last time, Chi Shuo wouldn’t have had to act so hard tonight. Thinking of this, she pondered for a moment and called Han Yu.
But the “beep” hadn’t even sounded for three seconds before Chi Shuo belatedly hung up. She almost forgot Han Yu wasn’t single anymore. How awkward would it be if Han Yu was currently doing… things… with her girlfriend?
However, not two seconds later, the phone rang again. It was Han Yu calling her back.
Chi Shuo breathed a sigh of relief. After answering, she asked the person on the other end, “Busy?”
“Not really. My girlfriend’s on a business trip. Otherwise, you think I wouldn’t kill you?” Han Yu said irritably.
Chi Shuo chuckled twice. “Come drink.”
She had no intention of getting drunk, but she felt the desire to vent. Han Yu was a qualified confidante, even though Han Yu’s opinion and impression of He Lindi were far from positive.
Half an hour later, Chi Shuo had finished blow-drying her hair, and Han Yu arrived, ringing the doorbell, carrying a bag of snacks and drinks.
The washing machine on the balcony was working furiously. Han Yu heard the noise and asked curiously, “Still doing laundry this late at night?”
Chi Shuo cleared her throat softly, replying somewhat unnaturally, “Yeah, washing a skirt. Went to the bar for drinks tonight, the smell hasn’t faded yet.”
Han Yu placed everything on the coffee table, couldn’t help but wonder, “When did you become such a drunk? Drinking at the bar wasn’t enough, you had to call me over for more this late?” Han Yu sat on the sofa, lecturing Chi Shuo non-stop like Tang Sanzang chanting the Tight-Fillet Spell. “Drinking outside late at night, how many people were there? Was it safe? Was it rowdy? Did anyone try to grope you? Drank so much you need to wash the skirt to get the smell out, Chi Shuo, you really have skills…”
Chi Shuo covered her ears. “Spare me, please. I didn’t think you used to be such a nag. Now you just can’t stop talking.”
Han Yu sighed. “Damn, my girlfriend’s rubbing off on me. She talks to me like this every day.”
Chi Shuo: “…Fine, fine, we know you have a girlfriend, big deal.”
Han Yu was waiting for that sentence. She chuckled, “Hehe,” and opened a can of beer. “Cheers.”
The sky had long since gone completely dark. Chi Shuo and Han Yu drank and ate snacks. She was actually quite hungry, just didn’t want to face Teacher He again, otherwise she definitely would have joined Xia Zhou and the others for barbecue.
After a while, Chi Shuo slowly approached tonight’s main topic. She was already sitting on the floor; there was a clean blanket anyway, so it wouldn’t get dirty.
Chi Shuo burped. She had finished two cans of beer and felt a bit dizzy again, but just a bit. She was still sober enough and could express herself without hindrance. “Xiao Yu, let me tell you, the pleated skirt washing in my machine.”
Han Yu ate chips and nodded. “And? It’s not your only pleated skirt. What’s the problem with wearing it?”
Chi Shuo looked hesitant, then leaned back slightly, supporting herself with her hands on either side. “The problem is I was with He Lindi tonight, and she was also wearing a pleated skirt.”
The moment the name “He Lindi” came out, Han Yu even stopped eating chips. After two seconds, Han Yu reacted, “Meaning, she found out you were copying her?”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “Probably not. Can’t I just like pleated skirts? So many people in the world like pleated skirts. Does wearing one mean I’m copying?”
Han Yu frowned. “Just tell me if you believe that.” She also sat down beside her, patting Chi Shuo’s shoulder. “Shuo Shuo, I don’t know about other things, but I know all about that crush you had.”
Chi Shuo had been extremely fond of He Lindi back then. The simplest, most direct reason was that He Lindi was very good-looking. Afterward, she unconsciously wanted to be more like He Lindi.
That was also when Chi Shuo developed the habit of saving money, because He Lindi’s pleated skirts were beautiful, and she wanted to buy them too. But her funds weren’t sufficient; she usually had to take from her living expenses. After saving for two months, she dragged Han Yu to the mall to buy a pleated skirt.
Later, she bought more and more skirts, but Chi Shuo never wore them at school. Ultimately, it boiled down to one reason: inferiority.
He Lindi was just too dazzling; others seemed to pale in comparison beside her. Chi Shuo admitted she didn’t have such a tough shell, so she only wore the skirts she bought when hanging out or at home.
Even after giving up on liking He Lindi, her brain still retained related habits, making it so that even after getting to know He Lindi at the university across the street, Chi Shuo still didn’t dare wear her skirts in front of her.
Han Yu sighed deeply again. “I saw her Weibo shared onto my feed the other day. If you hadn’t mentioned her, I would have almost forgotten her.”
Chi Shuo closed her eyes and asked, “And then?”
Han Yu paused. “Then what?”
“What happened after you saw her Weibo?”
“Oh, I just clicked into her profile page casually. Then I discovered she’s actually a photographer now, often taking pictures of celebrities. Last time, it was because she posted a set of Shen Qu’s photos, so many people thought they were beautiful and reposted them. The person on my feed was a casual fan of Shen Qu.” Han Yu digressed here. “Heard Shen Qu went to your university. Do you know her?”
Chi Shuo: “…”
Chi Shuo: “Don’t know her.”
Han Yu continued, “Oh right, we’re talking about He Lindi now. Her works are really good. I remember she won an award back then for her photography, right? The school even had her speak on stage during the flag-raising ceremony for it.”
Chi Shuo replied faintly, “Seems like it.”
Her tone wasn’t certain, but only she knew how clearly she remembered.
He Lindi’s award-winning photograph was later displayed in an exhibition hall. The hall had limited time and entry, only open for three days. Coincidentally, works by a very famous photographer were also exhibited there at the same time. Chi Shuo went a total of three times. The first two times she went, they had already stopped letting people in. Only the last time, the manager saw her persistence and felt sorry for her, finally letting her in.
How could she not remember? To see that picture, she skipped class three times, experienced disappointment twice, and finally got a beating from her mother after she found out about the skipped classes.
Thinking about these things gave her a headache. Chi Shuo knew very well the real reason she acted like she disliked He Lindi at the company was—she used to like He Lindi too much, but her crush ended before it even began.
It clearly wasn’t He Lindi’s fault, only her own. Yet Chi Shuo still couldn’t completely let He Lindi go, especially since the girl she tried to like later got together with He Lindi, adding another layer to the grudge. How could she pretend nothing happened?
Too difficult.
Seeing Chi Shuo silent, Han Yu also quieted down beside her. She drew her knees up and sighed again. “Actually, thinking about what I said to you that day, I feel I was a bit excessive and petty. I was just rejected after confessing, yet I spoke about her like that.”
Chi Shuo knew she was referring to that day at the KTV.
“The person who made your heart flutter at seventeen… even if you don’t like them anymore, it’s not easy to forget. Whether it’s liking or disliking, there’s still some ripple in your heart.” Han Yu finished speaking, reached over, and patted Chi Shuo’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, she won’t find out. You are just yourself now. You like pleated skirts because you like them, it has nothing to do with He Lindi.”
Chi Shuo’s eyes reddened slightly.
The weekend passed quickly as usual. It felt like she hadn’t played much before it was already Monday, time for work again.
Chi Shuo spent Sunday adjusting herself, so much so that on Monday morning, she didn’t even need to spend time on makeup to cover her complexion.
Clocking in and entering the company, Chi Shuo took her water cup, washed it, and filled it with water, placing it on her desk.
Being well-rested made her feel refreshed. Even the sun already hanging outside wasn’t as annoying. Chi Shuo greeted her colleagues and sat down at her desk to turn on her computer.
After a few minutes, the meeting started punctually.
The conference room was large. Chi Shuo sat slightly towards the back; this was her usual spot.
“People from Qiyu are coming today to take collaborative photos with our company.” The supervisor called Chi Shuo’s name. “Chi Shuo, you’ll be responsible for receiving them later.”
Chi Shuo nodded, also taking notes with her pen. “Okay.”
The supervisor didn’t immediately move on to the next task but looked back and forth between Chi Shuo and He Xiuqi, then said, “Chi Shuo, He Xiuqi, are your suits at the company?”
The company had a locker cabinet, often used by employees who needed to run errands. Chi Shuo didn’t use it much; after all, she just sat in the office. The last business trip was her first time. So, she shook her head. “Not at the company.”
He Xiuqi, sitting opposite her, smiled. “Mine is at the company.”
The supervisor waved a hand and said to Chi Shuo again, “After the meeting, go borrow a suit yourself. Pants or skirt, your choice.”
Chi Shuo looked somewhat troubled. “But… everyone’s suit sizes are different.”
The supervisor raised an eyebrow. “In a company this big, I don’t believe you can’t borrow one. It’s unrealistic for you to go home. The Qiyu people will be here in half an hour. Can you make it back in time if you go home to change?”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “Can’t make it.” She said, “Okay, I understand.”
Other colleagues cast pitying glances at Chi Shuo. Their supervisor was actually quite capable, but his weakness in work was also obvious: he relayed information very slowly. If he had told Chi Shuo yesterday or before work today that she needed to wear a suit, the situation wouldn’t be so awkward.
Five minutes later, the morning meeting ended. Chi Shuo left the conference room with a grim face.
He Xiuqi asked softly from behind her, “Xiao Chi Jie, what’s the purpose of us wearing suits?”
Chi Shuo replied, “Most likely for photos.” She closed her notebook. “No more talk, I need to go borrow a suit first.”
With only about twenty minutes left, going home was naturally unrealistic. Chi Shuo’s brief good mood was extinguished by this meeting.
She first went to Zeng Guai to ask, then walked over to Xia Zhou to inquire. After asking several colleagues she was friendly with, none had suits at the company, and the girls who usually brought suits were mostly not in today.
Chi Shuo sat down in her chair somewhat discouraged. She looked up at the ceiling, feeling a bit tired.
Just then, Zeng Guai tiptoed over, sat down in Fang Xiuxiu’s chair (who had gone to report work), holding her phone displaying a group chat page. She comforted Chi Shuo, “Shuo Shuo, don’t worry, I’ll ask in the group for you.”
Chi Shuo knew which group it was. Last time when she had period pain and no medicine, Zeng Guai had also asked for help there.
It was originally a mutual help group, just that Chi Shuo wasn’t in it. When she initially felt uncomfortable being in the same group as He Lindi, she had left it. But it didn’t matter; Xia Zhou and Zeng Guai would ask her if they encountered problems they couldn’t help with.
“Okay…” Chi Shuo forced a smile at her. “Thanks.”
“Why thank me? Just treat me to milk tea.”
Just as Zeng Guai finished speaking, she looked at her phone, her face lighting up with surprise. “Shuo Shuo, borrowed!” But when she looked at Chi Shuo, she hesitated slightly. “It’s just…”
Chi Shuo raised an eyebrow. “He Lindi’s?”
Zeng Guai’s eyes widened. “You knew?”
“Only she would make you react with such surprise and hesitation.” Chi Shuo rubbed her face. “You go back to work. I’ll message her.”
“Okay.”
Chi Shuo sat up straight, clutching her phone, opened the chat dialogue with He Lindi. It still showed the last message from Friday night before dinner: “Table A1.”
Chi Shuo started feeling nervous again. She suddenly didn’t know how to start. Her fingertips typed and deleted on the input method. After deliberating for two minutes, she finally sent two letters: 【DJ.】
He Lindi replied quickly: 【Not lending it anymore.】
Chi Shuo immediately put on a placating smile: 【Teacher He, I was wrong.】
【Come get it yourself.】
Chi Shuo grabbed her phone and, like a gust of wind, left Xinyue and entered the elevator.
The receptionist at Xiyu was somewhat surprised to see Chi Shuo. “Shuo Shuo, why are you here now?”
Chi Shuo was a bit anxious. “I came to borrow something from Teacher He. I’ll be right down.”
The receptionist looked puzzled again. “You actually called her Teacher He?”
Chi Shuo couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s your focus!” She said, “Help me sign in. I’ll be right back.”
“Go ahead.”
Chi Shuo headed straight for He Lindi’s desk, managing brief greetings with people she knew along the way. Work hadn’t fully kicked into high gear yet; everyone was a bit more relaxed.
However, He Lindi wasn’t at her workstation. Chi Shuo glanced around but didn’t see her anywhere. So, she asked Q Ge, who was slowly sipping coffee nearby, “Q Ge, do you know where He Lindi is?”
Q Ge shook his head. “Went to the changing room. Said you should just go find her there later.”
Xiyu’s live streams weren’t just conducted elsewhere; sometimes celebrity guests came to the company for live streams. Therefore, they had live stream rooms, makeup rooms, and changing rooms here; Chi Shuo knew all this.
She knew the direction of the changing room, but why did this feel somewhat strange? Chi Shuo couldn’t help but swallow, entering the women’s changing room.
The changing room had a total of five cubicles. Outside were several benches with some clothes and pants lying on them, apparently discarded after changing.
After entering, Chi Shuo still didn’t see He Lindi. Clutching her phone, she called out He Lindi’s name: “Teacher He.”
It was truly humbling to have to ask for favors. Chi Shuo never called He Lindi this, but now she had to bow down for the suit.
The door of the innermost cubicle opened, and He Lindi’s head popped out. “Over here.”
Chi Shuo walked over slowly. “Is the suit inside?”
“Mm.”
“I just changed my clothes too.”
She finished speaking and handed Chi Shuo a cloth bag. “Just these. I’m taller than you, the pants might be a bit long.”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “No problem. Thank you for being so kind.”
He Lindi emerged from inside. She was wearing a light blue long dress, her face made up with makeup leaning towards sexy.
The dress wasn’t very revealing, but the area around her collarbone was completely exposed. Chi Shuo glanced over and was struck by He Lindi’s exquisite collarbone.
You could raise fish in there.
“Chi Shuo.” He Lindi curved her lips, staring into Chi Shuo’s eyes. “You have your day too, actually calling me Teacher He. How rare.”
“Teacher He is awesome, Teacher He is the best.” Chi Shuo could already picture her own fawning appearance.
He Lindi couldn’t help but wave her hand. “Can’t stand you anymore. Hurry up and change, lest you be late.”
Chi Shuo pointed to a nearby cubicle. “I’ll borrow this one.”
“Mm.”
Chi Shuo entered the nearest one. It was similar to a fitting room in a mall clothing store. Chi Shuo opened the bag.
Inside was a dark blue four-piece suit set: shirt, jacket, trousers, pencil skirt. The only lucky thing for Chi Shuo today might be that she wore a slightly more formal shirt, so she only needed to wear He Lindi’s jacket and pants.
But while changing, Chi Shuo felt somewhat of a psychological barrier. These were He Lindi’s clothes and pants. Not counting the jacket, these trousers were smoothly clinging to her legs, with nothing in between.
Chi Shuo’s mood was inevitably complicated. After changing inside, she didn’t come out immediately but paused for over ten seconds.
When she came out, she was the only one in the changing room besides herself. There was a large mirror in front. Chi Shuo stood before the mirror, holding the bag, examining her current attire.
He Lindi was slightly taller than her, but other aspects seemed similar. The jacket paired with her own shirt wasn’t stuffy or loose. The pants were indeed a bit long, but fortunately, Chi Shuo had a pair of high heels always kept at the company. Wearing them would cover this flaw.
She looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction, then left Xiyu’s changing room, wanting to thank He Lindi again. But when she reached He Lindi’s workstation, He Lindi wasn’t there again.
Chi Shuo asked Q Ge again, “Q Ge, where’s Teacher He?”
“Went to your place.” Q Ge looked at her strangely. “She was invited by your boss to take photos. Didn’t you know?”
Chi Shuo slowly shook her head. “Didn’t know…”
The supervisor hadn’t notified her, so Chi Shuo had assumed the photographer would be someone casual. She hadn’t expected the boss to value the collaboration with Qiyu so much as to invite He Lindi down to take work photos.
Time was running out. Chi Shuo quickly went downstairs again. She headed straight for the locker cabinet, changed into her high heels, and only then saw He Lindi sitting at her desk when she returned.
He Lindi was fiddling with her own DSLR camera. As if sensing Chi Shuo’s gaze, she pointed the lens at Chi Shuo again and pressed the shutter.
Chi Shuo walked up to her, showing no displeasure. She smiled and said, “Teacher He, thank you for the suit.”
He Lindi lowered the DSLR and replied, “How many times do you need to say it?” She stood up after speaking. “How about some practical thanks?”
Chi Shuo went “Huh?” “Okay.” She tentatively asked, “Shall I treat you to dinner? Drinks?”
He Lindi’s forehead showed black lines. “Can’t it be something else?”
Chi Shuo: “…Oh.” She looked at He Lindi. “Then you say.”
“Drive me home today.” He Lindi brushed her hair back. “Remember to wait for me after work.”
Chi Shuo couldn’t hold back, voicing her question, “He Lin… Teacher He, are you perhaps missing a chauffeur?”
